


Something not entirely unlike a friendship

by Eriskay



Series: Welcome to the island of misfit toys [4]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Aged-Up Yuri Plisetsky, Developing Friendships, Developing Otayuri, Gen, M/M, Phichit is confused, Yuri misses Otabek, everyone has jetlag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-10 15:33:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11694642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eriskay/pseuds/Eriskay
Summary: On their first night in Paris before Trophée de France, Phichit gets an unexpected visitor late at night, one who compels him to reconsider the defining characteristics of true friendship.





	Something not entirely unlike a friendship

**Author's Note:**

> This is the fourth part of my 'Misfit Toys' series, which is an AU where Yuuko is everyone's coach that takes place about three years after the end of season one. It's probably better to read all the parts in order but you can start with this one if you (like me) enjoy interactions between Yuri and Phichit.

On the first night since they’d arrived in Paris, when Phichit woke up from a sudden and very loud banging on the door of his hotel room, he definitely didn’t expect to find a tired and very grumpy-looking Yuri Plisetsky hovering outside.

“Yuri?” Phichit yawned, checking his phone for the time. “What’s the matter? Can’t sleep?”

Yuri shrugged. Which usually meant at least two different things in Yuri-speak. This time, Phichit figured that it could be interpreted as _yes_ , but also _no_ , and possibly _don’t ask questions, I will murder_.

Well.

“You can come in, if you want.”

A nod. Which _should_ mean yes.

Phichit stepped aside, watching Yuri shuffle past him inside and kick off his shoes, only to glance around himself disinterestedly.

Almost as an afterthought, Phichit closed the door.

“Want something to drink? I think there’s a bottle of mineral water somewhere.”

Yuri grimaced.

“A beer would be bloody fantastic.”

“There’s none of that, I’m afraid,” Phichit said. And now he was actually starting to feel a bit worried. “Yuri, we’re competing in like, three days. You _really_ shouldn’t drink.”

For some reason, that made Yuri grin towards him.

“Easy, Pinocchio, I was only joking. Besides, you’ve obviously already checked what’s inside the mini bar? Because that’s not at all suspicious.”

Phichit wasn’t sure whether or not he should laugh, at that, whether or not that had also been a joke. Was jokes another _thing_ between them, now, another boundary that Yuri had apparently abandoned? Just like Yuri had at some point decided that he didn’t mind when Phichit sat with him in the lounge at Yu-topia, so long as Phichit didn’t always expect Yuri to actually talk. Making bits of conversation was okay, though, as was rambling about absolutely anything related to Yuri’s cat. Yuri didn’t always respond to that, but Phichit had found that it at least seemed to make Yuri smile.

But jokes? _Yuri_ making jokes?

Only one way to find out.

“I was only checking to see if there’s something good for after the competition,” Phichit replied, going for nonchalant. “You know, after I’ve beaten you.”

To his surprise, that only made Yuri’s grin widen.

“Don’t even dream of it, Chulanont, I’m stronger than ever this season. None of you guys in Trophée de France will have even the slightest chance.”

Yuri’s tone was firm, but still relaxed and… Actually kind of playful? Well. Phichit made a mental note to his rapidly growing list of Things That Are Apparently Within Yuri Plisetsky’s Comfort Zone, Even Though They Weren’t Before Which Kind Of Makes Sense But Also Really Not: hanging out, talking but not too much, anything cat-related, teaming up to prank stuck-up prats – and finally, jokes.

Well, well.

“I guess we’ll see,” Phichit said, smiling back towards Yuri. “We _really_ should try to get some sleep, though. Staying up late won’t make the jetlag any easier.”

Yuri’s grin disappeared.

“Right,” he said, his tone a bit uneasy. “That’s no problem. I can leave.”

Phichit frowned.

“Yuri, are you… Is there something bothering you?”

It wasn’t a question that Phichit would have dared to ask Yuri only last week. At that time it’d definitely have made Yuri lash out, or clam up, or maybe first one and then the other. However, Yuri’s general attitude towards Phichit was changing at a rate that Phichit was actually having a hard time keeping up with. And tonight, Yuri had actually been the one to approach _him_ , showing up at Phichit’s room late in the evening for no apparent reason. For the first time in his life, Phichit found himself forced to consider the possibility that Yuri actually _wanted_ to talk to him.

Yuri’s expression didn’t change very much at Phichit’s question. He was looking down at the floor, evidently so that he could avoid meeting Phichit’s eyes. Yet Yuri also seemed to actually be working on some kind of response.

“It’s just…” Yuri paused to take a deep breath. “Time zones _suck_.”

It took a moment before Phichit was able to work that one out.

“You mean... Wow. You really miss him that much?”

“Of course I do,” Yuri muttered, still looking anywhere but at Phichit. “You can’t tell anyone, though. _Especially_ not Beka.”

“No, of course not.” Phichit paused, feeling incredibly curious yet once again very unsure of where the line was drawn, this time, how far he could go without crossing. “Otabek doesn’t know? That you miss him?”

Yuri grimaced.

“I may have sent him sixteen texts. All of them unread, because it’s the middle of the fucking night in Japan and that’ll be fun when he wakes up.” Yuri kicked at the floor, his shoulders slumping. “Seriously, fuck these fucking time zones.”

“We’ll be back home next week,” Phichit told him, going for soothing. “You’ll be okay.”

“Maybe.” Yuri sighed, stepping forward to sit down on the edge of Phichit’s bed, entirely uninvited. “This sucks, though.”

“I get that.” Phichit climbed onto the bed, too, crossing his legs and facing Yuri. “I mean, there’s no special someone for me right now, but a couple of years back…” Phichit cleared his throat. “Well. I _get_ what you’re saying, is what I’m saying.”

“Do spare me the details,” Yuri snapped, his tone all curiosity. “Was she hot?”

“He,” Phichit corrected. “And yes. Although honestly, I think he was kind of a rebound thing. Or more like a way to get over someone else? It was a bit messed up.”

“Did it work?” Yuri wondered. “I mean, getting over the other guy.”

“It did, yeah. And thank God for that.” Phichit smiled a little. “That would’ve been one hell of a roller-coaster, now.”

Suddenly, Yuri’s eyes had narrowed dangerously.

“Who was it?” he wanted to know, and unfortunately he seemed to be studying Phichit’s expression very carefully. “Not the rebound, the guy you actually _liked_. You’re still friends?”

“That’s not…” Phichit cleared his throat, going for indifference. “I never said that.”

“Hah!” Yuri’s tone was beyond triumphant. “It’s someone I know, isn’t it?”

Phichit sighed. To hell with perceptive Russian prodigies.

“Not telling,” he said, firmly. “Why don’t we get back to talking about _your_ boyfriend, instead?”

Immediately, Yuri stopped smiling.

“No, that’s not… Beka and I aren’t dating.”

Phichit snorted. “You expect me to believe that?”

“No, seriously.” Yuri let his gaze drop to the floor again. “We haven’t talked about that, because we’re… Otabek’s, you know. Quiet.”

“But you’ve at least…” Phichit begun, before he realized that he wasn’t quite sure how to finish the sentence. “You’ve kissed? Or more, or whatever…?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Yuri said, speaking quickly. “We have. We do. But it’s… That’s all there is.”

“Right,” Phichit said, his tone entirely unconvinced. “You’re doing each other on the regular, and you’re missing him so much that it’s literally driving you crazy, and you’ve sent him sixteen texts even though you know he’s not awake, and you think he’s the hottest thing in men’s figure skating, but that’s _all there is_.”

Yuri was blushing – furiously – yet he didn’t actually look angry, or even annoyed. Phichit quietly made another mental note to his okay-with-Yuri-list: talking about sex and relationships.

“I never _said_ I think Beka is the hottest thing in men’s figure skating,” Yuri denied, several seconds too late.

“But you totally think that. Don’t even try to tell me otherwise.”

Yuri shrugged. And this time, it really couldn’t mean anything other than _yes_.

“You really, _really_ like Otabek,” Phichit continued, his tone just a bit more gentle. “Don’t you?”

“Yeah.” Yuri’s voice was very quiet. “Beka is really… He’s the best person I know, and the way he puts up with… He’s kind of special, I guess.”

“Oh my God, this is so cute!” Phichit couldn’t have contained his grin if he’d tried. “I should take a picture of you right now. Send it to him.”

“You will do no such thing!” Yuri protested, and somehow the hard edge in his tone made it clear that it definitely wasn’t a joke, not this time. “Beka will never hear _anything_ about this, least of all from you. Promise?”

 _Maybe just telling him would actually make things simpler_ , Phichit didn’t say.

“Okay, okay,” he agreed instead, his tone reassuring. “I promise, Yuri. All your secrets are safe with me.”

Yuri exhaled. Because apparently, he actually believed that Phichit wouldn’t say anything to Otabek. Which was possibly the craziest thing that Phichit had realized in _years._ Was this was Phichit’s life would be like, from now? Would it continue to include Yuri, with his carefully hidden yet fiercely passionate emotions, whispered secrets in the night and private jokes?

“Yuri,” Phichit started, before he had the time to change his mind. “Are we friends?”

Yuri looked a bit surprised.

“I guess.” He shrugged. _Yes. Of course_. “Does it matter?”

“It does, a little bit,” Phichit said, feeling quite unsure of how to continue. “I mean, you used to… I know you really didn’t like me very much, before.”

Yuri frowned.

“I don’t really like anyone.”

“I know, but I always thought you’d never want to…” Phichit sighed. “Forget it. I guess it doesn’t matter, that much.”

Yet Yuri’s expression had turned unusually contemplative.

“We can be friends,” he offered, his tone uncharacteristically earnest. “I mean, if you want to?”

“Well, that’s… Sure.” Phichit smiled tentatively towards Yuri. “I’d actually really like that.”

Yet for some reason, that made Yuri start to grin.

“Great,” he said brightly. “So, Phichit. Friends don’t keep secrets from each other. _Right?_ ”

“… I guess not?”

“Then maybe now would be a good time for you to actually tell me all about that old flame of yours, hm?”

Phichit groaned.

“ _That’s_ what you’re after?”

Yuri’s grin turned a bit sheepish.

“I haven’t had _any_ juicy gossip to pass on to Mila since I got to Japan,” he explained. “Except maybe for all the stuff with Beka, but there’s no way in hell I’m telling her that. And she’s had a _ton_ of shit to report only this past month. Do you have any idea how much drama they’ve got in the Russian squad? Man, Japan is so boring.”

“Oh my God,” Phichit exclaimed, his eyes wide. “You have to tell me _everything_.”

“Sure,” Yuri agreed, easily. “But before we get into that, I believe the story about your broken heart is more than a little bit overdue…?”

Phichit sighed. And this time, it was in defeat.

“Ugh. _Fine_.”

Yuri grinned widely.

“Great!” he said, pulling his legs onto the bed to settle more comfortably across from Phichit. “So…?”

Phichit took a deep breath. And then he took a leap of faith.

“I guess it all begun when I was still back in Detroit…”

As Phichit started telling Yuri all about how he’d once fallen for his extremely cute and unbelievably oblivious roommate, he had a sneaking suspicion that this conversation wasn’t really going to stay just between the two of them. However, as he watched Yuri listening attentively to his story, grinning amusedly at all the right times and occasionally interrupting with a blunt yet accurate observation, Phichit felt more and more certain that their supposed friendship would ultimately be worth much more than an embarrassing secret or two.

**Author's Note:**

> This was really fun to write! I've wanted to explore Phichit and Yuri from my 'Misfit Toys' verse a bit more, and also to give a little more closure regarding the situation with Otayuri. I think at this point that it's quite clear what happened between Otabek and Yuri once Yuri came back home... =)
> 
> Thanks, as always, to my outstanding beta, who I trust with all my secrets and more. ♥
> 
> You can find me [here](http://eriskay.tumblr.com/) on tumblr. Come say hi!


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